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Message: [QUOTE="CaptainHook, post: 3001104, member: 8315"] Not sure if I should post this here or in the 'hot water' thread. Some players are in more trouble than others but I want to talk about both. 'Whenever I hear of the latest rugby league off-season infamy, I realise I’ve led a sheltered life. Not only have I never known anyone who has done what, say, Jarryd Hayne is accused of doing on grand final night, I’ve never known anyone who has done what Hayne’s supporters defend him for doing (visiting a complete stranger in a faraway place, keeping the taxi running, out of the house a few innocent-filled fun minutes later). Name the summertime rogues’ gallery through the years - Mitchell Pearce, Ben Barba, Todd Carney, Matt Lodge, Ben Barba, Jack de Belin, Dylan Napa, Ben Barba - and I don’t know anyone who even knows anyone else who’s done some of that stuff. It’s all very eye-opening.' Malcolm Knox kicked off his take on the off-season from hell with the above passage. I feel the same. Forget the criminal charges. Personally, I don't know anyone who has participated in, filmed and/or released a sex tape. I don't know anyone who knows anyone that's done it. I'm fairly old-fashioned. It seems a gentleman most certainly does tell these days. And films it. Or one of his mates does. I don't know if players should be stood down if charged. I don't think it's black and white. The NRL integrity unit is on a hiding to nothing though. Consider the Dylan Walker situation. Roy Masters pointed out something I found peculiar. Walker had the support of his partner (the one he's accused of assaulting) when he fronted up for court. Masters writes: 'When NSW police arrived at Walker’s home, they filmed his partner giving evidence. Four days later, the couple arrived in a Manly court, hand in hand. The magistrate was therefore confronted by two contrasting pieces of evidence: video of a distraught young woman accusing her partner of domestic violence and the sight of a loving couple. The magistrate eventually decided to send Walker’s case to trial later this month. If the judicial system finds it difficult to resolve these matters, how can a sport that is primarily concerned with staging eight matches a week be expected to act with the wisdom of Solomon?' That's kinda weird right? Or is it normal for the victim to support the accused? Genuine question. Again, this is not a world I'm familiar with. Webster said in a recent article that more tapes are due to drop. Another one just yesterday said new sponsors can't be bothered with Rugby League. In grand Rugby League tradition I expect a tape to be leaked on the eve of round one. Timing is everything, fellas. My question to fans is this - what level of degeneracy does the game need to descend to before we decide there are better ways to spend the weekend? Or am I being too harsh? Is it just a couple of bad eggs that are ruining it for the rest of the players, fans, sponsors, etc? One of the positives has been the reaction of the fan base. You can't find too many fans that are upset a guy like Barba is out of the game. Are we getting smarter? Compare the reaction to him with the reaction to Lodge and Lodge can probably thank his lucky stars he's still in the game. What a climate we live in now and what a difference twelve months makes. Are we catching on to the fact that the clubs and the game can't keep playing up their hospital visits and charity work while downplaying their sex taping, coke snorting, dog humping, partner bashing antics? Does the NRL applaud us or secretly resent us? I've never known a sport that treats its fans with the contempt the NRL does so would be keen to know. [/QUOTE]

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